MLB seems to be leaning to expanding sometime in the future.
The National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes franchise owner Tom Dundon has informally suggested that Major League Baseball ought to consider Raleigh, North Carolina for an expansion team, if MLB decides to expand with growing stadium issues perhaps hampering that notion. North Carolina has franchises in the NHL, in the National Football League, in the National Basketball Association, in Major League Soccer and in the National Women’s Soccer League. The state also is the home to NASCAR and Professional Golf Association Tour events. “It’s the only thing we’re kind of missing if you look at the size of the state and the support of the teams,” Dundon told WRAL radio. “It sort of feels obvious.” It might be obvious but there is no plan in place that could point some Research Triangle area group in the expansion direction. There is no potential ownership, no potential place to put a stadium and if MLB is in a hurry to expand that would leave the North Carolina capital area little time to get the things needed done for an expansion team push. The area is also a small market but has some money.
“This is just the beginning of a lot of work,” Dundon said. “We’ve got to, just as a state, put our best foot forward and wherever that is, wherever we think is our best chance, then I think that’s where everyone would focus.” In the past MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has suggested that Charlotte, North Carolina might be a good spot for an expansion team. This is not the first time someone has suggested putting an MLB team in the region. In the late 1990s, Don Beaver attempted to buy and move the Minnesota Twins franchise to a publicly funded stadium in Greensboro if voters said yes. The voters rejected the stadium plan in 1998.
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